The present invention relates generally to the field of analyte test instrument systems which can be used to perform electrochemical assays on biological samples. More particularly, the present invention relates to analyte test instrument systems which include an adaptor for transferring data stored on an analyte test instrument (e.g., a blood glucose monitor) to a data management device (e.g., a computer).
For many patients, the concentration of a particular analyte in blood must be routinely measured. The results of an analyte concentration measurement may, in turn, necessitate the patient to undertake a particular course of action in response thereto (e.g., requiring the patient to partake in a particular drug treatment).
Diabetes is a disease which typically requires a patient to routinely monitor the concentration of glucose in his/her blood. In particular, a patient suffering from diabetes is often required to measure the concentration of glucose in his/her blood multiple times each day. Based upon the results of each blood glucose measurement, the patient may require a particular drug treatment (e.g., an injection of insulin) in order to regulate that the blood glucose level of the patient remains within a specified range. Exceeding the upper limit of said range (hyperglycemia) or dropping beneath the lower limit of said range (hypoglycemia) should be avoided with as much diligence as possible to prevent the patient from experiencing serious medical complications which include, inter alia, retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy.
Analyte test instrument systems are well known and are widely used in the art to perform routine electrochemical assays on biological samples. A blood glucose monitoring system is one well-known type of analyte test instrument system which is used to perform routine glucose concentration tests on blood samples.
One type of blood glucose monitoring system which is well known and widely used in the art comprises at least one disposable test strip which electrochemically reacts in response to the deposition of a blood sample thereon. The test strip is designed for use with a corresponding blood glucose monitor which calculates the concentration of blood glucose in the blood sample based upon the electrochemical reaction between the test strip and the blood sample. Examples of blood glucose monitoring systems of the type described above are manufactured and sold by Abbott Laboratories, Medisense Products of Bedford, Mass. under the PRECISION line of blood glucose monitoring systems.
A disposable, blood glucose monitoring test strip typically comprises a thin base, or substrate, layer which is generally rectangular in shape. A plurality of electrical contacts, or strips, are deposited along substantially the entire length of the base layer in a spaced apart, parallel relationship. One end of the electrical contacts is positioned within the reaction area of the test strip. In the reaction area of the test strip, an enzyme is deposited which is capable of reacting with the glucose in a blood sample to produce a measurable electrical response. The other end of the electrical contacts is disposed to electrically contact associated conductors located in the blood glucose monitor, as will be described further below.
A blood glucose monitor is typically modular and portable in construction to facilitate its frequent handling by the patient. A blood glucose monitor often comprises a multi-function test port which is adapted to receive the test strip in such a manner so that an electrical communication path is established therebetween. As such, an electrical reaction created by depositing a blood sample onto the reaction area of the test strip travels along at least one of the conductors of the test strip and into the test port of the blood glucose monitor. Within the housing of the monitor, the test port is electrically connected to a microprocessor which controls the basic operations of the monitor. The microprocessor, in turn, is electrically connected to a memory device which is capable of storing a multiplicity of blood glucose test results.
In use, a blood glucose monitor of the type described above can be used in the following manner to measure the glucose level of a blood sample and, in turn, store the result of said measurement into memory as test data. Specifically, a disposable test strip is inserted into the test port of the monitor. With the test strip properly inserted into the monitor, there is established a direct electrical contact between the conductors on the test strip and the conductors contained within the test port, thereby establishing an electrical communication path between the test strip and the monitor through which electrical signals can travel. Having properly disposed the test strip into the test port, the monitor typically displays a “ready” indication on its display.
The user is then required to deposit a blood sample onto the reaction area of the test strip, the acquisition of the blood sample typically being accomplished by pricking the fingertip of the patient with a lancing device. When a sufficient quantity of blood is deposited on the reaction area of the test strip, an electrochemical reaction occurs between the blood sample and the enzyme present in the reaction area which, in turn, produces an electrical current which decays exponentially over time.
The decaying electrical current created through the chemical reaction between the enzyme and the glucose molecules in the blood sample, in turn, travels along the electrically conductive path established between the test strip and the monitor and is measured by the microprocessor of the monitor. The microprocessor of the monitor; in turn, correlates the declining current to a standard numerical glucose value. The numerical glucose value calculated by the monitor is then shown on the monitor display for the patient to observe. In addition, the data associated with the particular blood glucose measurement is stored into the memory for the monitor.
It should be noted that blood glucose monitors of the type described above often include a memory device which is capable of storing a number of different events, wherein examples of some possible events include, but are not limited to, a blood glucose measurement, a calibration function, and a date/time change for the monitor. In fact, some blood glucose monitors are capable of storing in memory as many as 400 events at a single time.
In order to effectively monitor the blood glucose level patterns of a patient, a clinician and/or physician for a diabetes patient often downloads a series of blood glucose monitoring events onto a data management device, such as a computer, which is loaded with comprehensive data management system (DMS) software (e.g., the PRECISION LINK data management system software which is manufactured and sold by Abbott Laboratories, MediSense Products of Bedford, Mass.) capable of retrieving, managing and analyzing the data stored on the monitor. In particular, a clinical analyst and/or a physician for a diabetes patient is often interested in tracking the blood glucose levels of a patient over a fixed period of time (e.g., 1 month).
In order to effectively track the blood glucose levels of a patient over a fixed time, a clinical analyst and/or a physician is required to periodically meet with the patient and download all of the data stored in the blood glucose monitor into the data management device for comprehensive analysis. Analyzing the test results in this manner, the clinician and/or physician is able to assess how effectively the patient is able to regulate his/her blood glucose level.
Traditionally, the data stored on a blood glucose monitor is downloaded onto a data management device using a hardwire communication link. A hardwire communication link typically comprises a communication cable which, at one end, is provided with a test strip-shaped communication interface which can be removably inserted into the strip port of the blood glucose monitor and, at the other end, is provided with a connector which is adapted to removably connect with the serial port of a conventional computer.
As can be appreciated, a diabetes patient is somewhat limited in the frequency in which he/she can visit a clinician and/or physician to track glucose test results. As a result, diabetes patients are encouraged to frequently download the data stored on the blood glucose monitor onto his/her own computer for comprehensive analysis. In this manner, a diabetes patient can monitor his/her test results as frequently as desired (e.g., daily, weekly, etc.).
However, the process of electrically connecting a blood glucose monitor to a computer using a hardwire communication link has been found by some diabetes patients to be cumbersome, complicated, and time consuming. Overwhelmed by the connection process, some patients download their blood glucose levels onto a computer for further analysis less frequently than is desired, thereby increasing the patient's risk of experiencing a serious diabetes related medical complication, which is highly undesirable.